Instead, Cotcher spent time with Manchester United in January, playing against Leeds United, before having a go with Leeds themselves.
Cotcher scored a couple of goals for the Leeds u18s and played 45 minutes for their u21s, then held a trial with Ipswich Town.
It might be surprising to see a player playing on trial with so many different clubs, particularly given he seems to have done quite well with a few of them.
But the problem was that Cotcher’s former side Sunderland were owed a compensation fee, which would have gone to a tribunal if the signing club couldn’t agree a fair payment.
Though Villa officially report that they’ve signed Cotcher as a “free agent”, they will pay a compensation fee to Sunderland.